By ROY HESS | Staff Writer
The Harlingen High boys and girls soccer teams each find themselves within striking distance of the lead at the halfway point of the District 32-6A races.
The first round ended last Friday.
Since there are only six teams in 32-6A this season, the district can afford to take a week’s break at the midpoint of competition without any difficulties in scheduling.
So, this is vacation week with no games in 32-6A soccer. Actually, it’s not much of a vacation as practice continues for everyone.
At this point for 32-6A girls, the standings are Los Fresnos (5-0, 14 points), Harlingen South (3-2, 10 points), Harlingen High (3-2, nine points), Brownsville Hanna 3-2, nine points), Brownsville Rivera (1-4, three points) and San Benito (0-5, no points).
“It has been a tight race for the top four spots,” Lady Cardinals coach Debra Galvan said. “No game has been easy, and no game will be easy this second time around.
“The girls are training hard and preparing for the second round where we know how crucial each game is,” she added. “All we can do is take it one game at a time and hope everyone stays injury free. Our goal is to make the playoffs, and we haven’t lost sight of that goal.
“As for our team, we have suffered some injuries and we are working at getting the girls to play more cohesively, so overall, I am proud of them and hope they can continue to get wins.”
The second round of 32-6A action begins next Tuesday with doubleheaders as the boys play at 5:30 p.m. and the girls play at 7:30 p.m., which is the reverse of the first round when the girls went first.
Next Tuesday’s doubleheader schedule has South at Los Fresnos, Rivera at Hanna and San Benito at Harlingen High.
After the first round, in the 32-6A boys standings, it’s Harlingen South (3-2, nine points), Rivera (3-2, nine points), San Benito (3-2, eight points), Hanna (2-3, eight points), Harlingen High (2-3, six points) and Los Fresnos (2-3, five points).
“It’s been a very competitive district,” Cardinals coach Johnny Guillen said. “Teams are even throughout the district and the point separation is very minimal every night there is a change in the standings.
“We have done a good job so far, but we need to find a way to finish our games,” Guillen added. “That is what has hurt us in the first round. Our expectation for the second round is to be able to finish out every game at a high level, and God willing, we can make the playoffs.”
The highlight of district so far for the Cardinals was a 1-0 victory at Hanna on Feb. 5.
BEARKATS, TARPONS CO-LEADERS IN 32-4A
Raymondville and Port Isabel are co-leaders of the District 32-4A boys race as the second round gets underway. Both squads have 5-1 conference records.
District action continues at 6 p.m. Friday with Raymondville at Monte Alto and Port Isabel at home against Brownsville IDEA Riverview.
“For us at Raymondville, we need to play our game and avoid any unnecessary penalties or silly mistakes,” Bearkats coach Robert Howell said. “If our student/athletes do their jobs in the classroom and on the field, we should be fine.
“However, this is not the time for us to let up,” Howell added. “We indeed have a lot of work to do in the second half of the season.”
During their first-round matchup on Feb. 8, Port Isabel defeated Raymondville 6-1 to hand the Bearkats their only 32-4A loss. The Tarpons’ only district loss was a 2-1 setback at La Feria on Feb. 5.
The next matchup between the Bearkats and Tarpons is scheduled March 5 in Port Isabel.